Utah

Utah mom says foster care helped, while she battled addiction

Published

2 years ago

June 3, 2024

Utah mom says foster care helped, while she battled addiction

SALT LAKE CITY — Hanna, whose last name we won’t use to protect her and her young sons, said she was driving to church six years ago with her now ex-husband when a police officer pulled them over.

“My children weren’t strapped in, and they were within reach of (drug) paraphernalia,” Hanna said. “That’s the truth, and they were removed.”

Her boys, Jace and Jagger, are now 6- and 12-years-old. They were taken to The Christmas Box House. Hanna was taken to jail. She and the boys’ father had both undergone medical procedures and what started as prescription medications for the pain, turned into addition to illegal drugs.

The boys ended up in foster care. Jagger was just 3-years-old at the time. But he remembers it well and said what made the biggest difference for him was being able to stay with his older brother.

When the boys were placed with their first foster family, they said they felt safe. They even did fun stuff, like Lagoon and water parks. And while they were staying with that foster family, their mom had a tough realization.

“Around the six-month mark, at one of my visits, the caseworker said, ‘You’ve done nothing to change, you’ve done nothing to improve this, we’re going to have a team meeting in court and I’m going to recommend adoption,’” Hanna said. “That’s when it hit me, that’s when I started making some changes.”

Attending AA meetings

Hanna started attending AA meetings and utilizing resources the state offered her. It was around that time she met Tracey Allred.

Allred now works for Utah Foster Care, but at the time was fostering other children.

“It was an instant connection,” Hanna said about meeting Allred.

“I am so grateful to the foster system,” Hanna said. “I can’t say it enough that there are people that are willing to open their homes to children who have been through the wringer.” (KSL TV)

Allred wasn’t caring for Jayce and Jagger, but opened her heart to all three. The relationship was a win-win. Allred said for the first time since she had started fostering children, she put herself in Hanna’s shoes.

“She taught me through our friendship, empathy,” Allred said. “I’ve never been able to put myself in that side of foster care.”

While Allred gained a new perspective, Hanna gained a strong female, role model for the first time in her life.

“My relationship with Tracey, having somebody who, like I said, who answers to phone, who shows up to family events and can sort of, mentor me through motherhood was really beautiful,” Hanna said. “It was really empowering. It made me feel like I can do this.”

Gov. Cox calling on Utahns to open hearts, homes in response to need for foster families

Taking care of her boys

And she did. And while she was putting in the work, her boys said their foster families were taking good care of them.

“They made really good dinners,” Jayce said to KSL TV.

And they enjoyed evenings just hanging out. But most importantly, they were together.

“Lets just say, two parts yin and yang, one whole,” the boys told KSL.

Hanna said there are many misconceptions about parent who get addicted to drugs, like they don’t love their children, or if they wanted to stop using drugs, they could. She said addiction was stronger than her. But, now nearly three years sober, with her boys now living with her, she is thankful.

“I am so grateful to the foster system,” Hanna said. “I can’t say it enough that there are people that are willing to open their homes to children who have been through the wringer.”

Allred and her family have now fostered eight children. She believes there are many Utah families who could successfully foster children who need care.

“If you have room in your heart and in your home, and you’re a safe, good person, you can do this,” Allred said.

For Hanna and her boys, they are their mom’s biggest fans and recognize how hard she’s worked to get the family back together.

“We are really proud of her,” Jayce and Jagger said to KSL.

Allred knows not everyone can get licensed for foster care, but she says there are many other ways to help. If you would like more information, go to utahfostercare.org.

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Utah

Man arrested for DUI after rear-ending Utah County deputy

Published

12 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Man arrested for DUI after rear-ending Utah County deputy

SPRINGVILLE, Utah — Police arrested a man whom they say is a “habitual offender” of driving under the influence after he crashed into a patrol vehicle.

A Utah County Sheriff’s deputy said he was patrolling in Springville early Sunday morning when a pickup truck driven by Richard Andrew Roberson, 38, collided with his vehicle. The deputy said he was stopped at a stop sign when Roberson hit him from behind.

When the deputy approached Roberson’s vehicle at a nearby gas station, he said the suspect showed signs of being intoxicated and also smelled like alcohol. He agreed to a field sobriety test, during which the officer said he showed multiple signs of being impaired.

Roberson was then arrested, and police say a urine test showed positive results for alcohol and marijuana, while a blood test is pending.

Police said Roberson’s driver’s license from California is currently suspended, and his vehicle was not insured.

While looking into Roberson’s background, police say they discovered that he’s had “nearly a dozen” DUI charges or convictions across four different states. His most recent convictions were in 2016 and 2017 in another state, but his most recent DUI charges were a pair of incidents in Utah within the past two months.

The arresting officer wrote that these factors indicate that Roberson “is a habitual offender and is a danger to the public.”

Roberson was arrested for felony DUI, driving on a suspended license, and operating a vehicle without insurance. A judge denied bail.

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Utah

Pair of Utah Jazz Veterans Emerging as Trade Candidates

Published

24 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Pair of Utah Jazz Veterans Emerging as Trade Candidates

With just under a week to go until the NBA trade deadline arrives, the Utah Jazz are beginning to see a few names around their roster pop up in the some rumors as potential movers in the coming days.

As of late, two veteran names have come to the forefront as the most likely names to be shipped off before the deadline: Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson.

NBA insider Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune recently broke down the current situations revolving around the Jazz’s deadline plans and what could be in store for both Love and Anderson, circling the pair as perhaps the two most likely players to be traded from Utah before February 5th.

“Fellow veterans Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love are less in the Jazz’s plans moving forward, though, and could be moved if the situation made sense…” Larsen wrote. “Anderson has played well when on the court for Utah, but has frequently found himself out of the rotation as the Jazz prioritize youth.”

“The 37-year-old Love, meanwhile, is an impending free agent making $4 million this season. He also has played relatively well in his infrequent minutes for the Jazz. These players aren’t expected to have significant league interest, but the Jazz could make a deal similar to that of the one they made last season, when they sent veterans Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills to the Clippers in exchange for P.J. Tucker’s contract and a second-round pick.”

Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson Could Be Jazz’s Most Likely Deadline Movers

Both Love and Anderson have been productive veterans when given a role in the rotation for the Jazz, albeit in spotty minutes throughout the first half of the season.

However, with both not a part of the Jazz’s long-term timeline, combined with their contractual status of becoming free agents as soon as this summer, the two become obvious players to watch as guys who could be sent on the move before that trade deadline buzzer sounds.

Dec 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Cisse (30) pokes the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Kyle Anderson (2) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The possible hurdle when dealing one or both of Love and Anderson for the Jazz centers on generating interest around them.

As Larsen notes, not a ton of teams are exactly chomping at the bit to land a 32-year-old veteran forward or a 37-year-old big on expiring deals. Especially with many teams looking to cut down on their total salary rather than adding to it, an addition of a $9.2 million salary on the books from Anderson might not be much of a coveted asset on the trade market.

But as proven from last season’s Patty Mills and Drew Eubanks deal with the LA Clippers, all it takes is one interested team to offer a worthwhile package to the Jazz worth accepting for that swap to come to fruition. Even if the incoming package is just a couple of future seconds, such a return could be worth pulling the trigger on.

Utah’s front office is certainly sniffing around for similar opportunities to strike upon this season, but that could be easier said than done.

Maybe Love and Anderson will be the next names to join the list of Jazz trade deadline movers since their rebuild kicked off, but Utah’s front office will have until February 5th to find the right package to do so.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

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Utah

Alex Jensen calls out Utah basketball’s selfishness following loss to Oklahoma State

Published

1 day ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Alex Jensen calls out Utah basketball’s selfishness following loss to Oklahoma State

Utah men’s basketball head coach Alex Jensen isn’t mincing words anymore.

A week after saying his team “quit” down the stretch of a double-digit loss to BYU, the Jensen delivered another brutally honest assessment of the Runnin’ Utes following their 81-69 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

“We were very selfish tonight,” Jensen said during his postgame press conference. “I thought we were getting better at that, but we were individually very selfish.”

Jensen’s group was neck-and-neck with the Cowboys for a majority of their Big 12 tilt at the Huntsman, until another late-game collapse costed Utah (9-12, 1-7 Big 12) another opportunity at earning a league win.

Despite a stretch of miscues, the Runnin’ Utes found themselves down by three with just over 6 minutes left in regulation. They struggled to find the bottom of the net the rest of the way, though, leaving the doors open for the Cowboys to grow their lead to double-digits inside the final 2 minutes.

Utah’s offense stalled, in part, because of a lack of ball movement. The Runnin’ Utes didn’t have an assist in the final 6:40 of regulation and finished the game with 11 dimes total, tied for their third-fewest in a game this season. Utah went 3-for-11 from the field after falling behind, 62-59, with 6 minutes left in regulation.

“Too many guys are in their own world,” Jensen said. “Too many guys started the game thinking about just scoring.”

“There’s other ways to be selfish: guys not talking, guys not being ready to shoot. Players win games, not coaches, and the players can’t do it unless they do it together.”

Utah looked less than prepared to defend Cowboys fifth-year guard Anthony Roy, a career 42.8% shooter from 3 who came into Saturday as one of the top outside shooters in the Big 12. The 6-foot-3 Oakland, California, native lived up to his reputation against Utah, as he knocked down five treys in a 26-point performance to lead Oklahoma State.

“We’re not a very good defensive team,” Jensen said. “A lot of times it’s not the scheme; you just got to guard the guy in front of you. I don’t have a solution for that right now.”

The defensive end of the floor continued to be a problem for Utah, which dropped to No. 234 in the country in adjusted efficiency on KenPom.com. Saturday was Utah’s 11th time allowing 80 or more points this season.

Perhaps the only positive Jensen took away from Saturday: the energy inside the Huntsman Center noticeably improved from where it was at the start of the season.

“The crowd was great tonight,” Jensen said. “I’m embarrassed because that was far from the University of Utah team that’s been here for decades. We might lose, but we’re not going to lose that way. So we’re going to work on it and find some different combinations.”

Terrence Brown led Utah with 20 points, marking his 15th such game of the season. Only Andrew Bogut (22) and Keith Van Horn (20) have more 20-point games in a single season in Utah history.

Keanu Dawes added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Don McHenry had 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting.

The Runnin’ Utes are back in action Wednesday for a home game against Arizona State (7 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network).